6 Compelling Reasons to Plan Your Trip to New Zealand Now

After being closed for over two years, New Zealand has finally lifted some of the strictest pandemic-related travel restrictions, welcoming back international visitors this summer.

At a recent Kiwi Connect event in Los Angeles, New Zealand's tourism minister, Stuart Nash, expressed excitement about welcoming American visitors back. "It's a wonderful time to explore New Zealand," he said. In 2019, international tourism made up 42 percent of the country’s tourism revenue, with 368,000 Americans visiting that year. Through its new "If You Seek" campaign, New Zealand aims to attract a specific kind of traveler.

Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand, is prepared to welcome those who embrace its principles of manaakitanga (hospitality and mutual respect) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment). The country has long promoted environmental stewardship, encapsulated in the Tiaki Promise, which travelers are encouraged to uphold.

Once you arrive, New Zealand offers a compact yet varied experience, according to Nash. "In 10 to 12 days, you can enjoy a wide range of experiences while savoring excellent food and wine every day. Road trips are straightforward; just a two-hour drive can reveal a wealth of sights." An EV charging network is being developed, with public chargers available every 75km on most state highways, ensuring you can always power your vehicle, Nash assures.

According to Nash, this upcoming winter (which is their summer) is the ideal time to visit, thanks to a favorable exchange rate and fewer tourists. "The earlier you go, the less crowded it will be," he advises, noting that it may take three to five years for a significant tourism recovery.

Beginning in September, Air New Zealand will offer a direct flight from New York–JFK to Auckland, complemented by another direct route from Dallas via American Airlines starting in late October. A special perk: If you travel to New Zealand in 2024, you might get to enjoy Air New Zealand’s new lie-flat beds in economy class.

A lot has changed and opened up since we were last allowed into New Zealand. Here are six fresh ways to discover and enjoy the country.

Experience New Zealand from Above

For 25 years, Auckland’s Sky Tower has provided stunning views of the city, and in 2022, it launched into the virtual reality space with the new SkyCity SkySlide, which gives you a thrilling ride through twisting tubes above the city. Other exhilarating activities include an alpine swing offering breathtaking mountain views at Cardrona Alpine Resort on the South Island, as well as a remarkable (if not entirely eco-friendly) helicopter gin tour in Queenstown.

Explore New Culinary Delights

Anyone who has enjoyed roast lamb or a crisp Hawke’s Bay sauvignon blanc knows that New Zealand boasts a rich culinary landscape, which has only continued to develop in our absence.

In Wellington, the new location of Evil Twins serves up its renowned New Zealand coffee, while the fresh Concord bistro offers delicacies like oysters, saucisson brioché, and steak with bottomless fries. Auckland features the French-style Javalab Café for coffee lovers and Mr Morris, a 2020 addition that emphasizes sustainable, local ingredients like king salmon and quail with mandarin, earning both awards and a loyal following.

At Big Mountain Mead, located in Ohakune near Mount Ruapehu in the heart of the North Island, patrons can expect to enjoy mead crafted from local manuka honey and mountain water by late September.

Embrace Regenerative Travel

At the recent Kiwi Connect event in Los Angeles, regenerative travel was a key focus. New Zealand is deeply conscious of its natural wonders and cultural heritage, offering travelers numerous ways to enjoy, respect, and help preserve them, with guidance from the Tiaki Promise initiative.

In 2020, tour operator Nelson Tasman introduced what it claims to be New Zealand's first zero carbon itinerary, featuring activities like biking, kayaking, and sailing. All participating businesses are certified as zero carbon or carbon positive, with regular audits on their emissions reductions and offsets. If you book through the Nelson Regional Development Agency, your travel to, from, and around the region will be offset. While the system isn't flawless, it's a meaningful step toward conscious travel.

At Flockhill Station, a four-bedroom homestead on a 36,000-acre working sheep farm, guests can explore the property and learn about the station’s comprehensive sustainability program. This includes energy-efficient designs, smart water and waste systems, and efforts to enhance biodiversity, such as preserving wetlands.

Explore Adventures on Land and Sea

In 2021, Auckland Sea Kayaks introduced a new three-day expedition to the Cavalli Islands on the northeast coast, where adventurers can explore caves, tunnels, and beaches. Meanwhile, Taxicat Adventures offers a new experience that ventures into the relatively untouched and hard-to-reach Western Bays of Lake Taupō in the North Island, uncovering hidden waterfalls and secret coves.

For cycling enthusiasts, the newly opened 55-km Lake Dunstan Trail stretches between Clyde and Cromwell in the South Island, providing an exhilarating one-day ride alongside stunning lakes and rivers. In Wanaka, thrill-seekers can attempt the “world’s highest waterfall cable climb,” while Wildwire has also introduced some more accessible canyoning and hiking adventures. Although not brand new, the 10 great multiday walks across the country remain equally rewarding.

Dive Deep into Culture

In February 2022, the Wairau Māori Art Gallery opened at the Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangarei, New Zealand’s northernmost city. A whakataukī (proverb) displayed at the gallery serves as a “poetic reminder that as we follow in our ancestors’ footsteps, the time will come for us to leave our own marks in the continuum of history.” The gallery is committed to showcasing three exhibitions of contemporary Māori art each year.

Experience a New Hotel Stay

Since 2020, numerous hotels have opened throughout the country, including the Mayfair, a charming boutique hotel in Christchurch that has risen from the ashes of the 2011 earthquake, boasting views of the Southern Alps. There's also the luxurious five-star Park Hyatt Auckland located on the waterfront, and the intimate 18-room Intrepid Hotel, which was converted from a former Cadbury Chocolate factory in Wellington’s Te Aro district.

For those seeking seclusion, the latest PurePod, a solar-powered glamping cabin known as Kokomea PurePod, has opened this year on the Kāpiti Coast, offering stunning views of Kāpiti Island.

New Zealand's If You Seek tourism campaign emphasizes that “the true magic can be seen, felt, heard, touched, and smelled by manuhiri (visitors) who immerse themselves in, embrace, and respect Aotearoa’s unique culture, people, and natural surroundings.” There are now countless opportunities to do just that.